One of my standard gags that I do most years is that I tell my classes that I have an idea for a new grading paradigm. At first, they kind of like it because I say I’ll start everyone off with 100 percent. Then, as the year goes by, I will deduct points for items they miss rather than building their grades out of an accumulation of points or a running average. Almost right away, some of the quicker students start to lose their delight over this idea. Then, I spell it out for everyone: “Imagine, if you will, that day, when you lose your 11th point and you are sitting on an 89, and you realize the A is never coming back!” At this point, the students are happy enough that they were not the guinea pigs for this experiment. Every time I tell this story though, I feel there is something to it. Some deeper truth embedded in the outrageousness of this grading scheme… | I am fond of the fact that an infant’s brain contains neurons that are over-connected. Learning to control one’s body, recognize faces, and make sounds on demand is the pruning of connection. The elimination of possibility if you will. As we age, indeed as time goes forward in general, we are in the business of eliminating possibilities. As the Universe converts organized energy into unorganized energy thereby increasing the entropy – time literally moves forward. As we each grow out of childhood and start racking up ‘accomplishments’ as adults and find our place in the world, we are, once again, solidifying who we are and what our roles are. We do this by eliminating other possibilities, don’t we? As I brace for turning 51, I know that the 21 is never coming back. That’s okay, Kenny my boy – the elimination of possible futures is what living your life is… |
No comments:
Post a Comment